China’s first commercial-grade solar-powered drone has completed its maiden flight in the country’s northwest, where it took off, climbed, circled, and landed safely.

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation’s 11th Research Institute developed the aircraft, called Light Cavalry. Powered entirely by solar energy, Light Cavalry has a maximum design endurance of 30 hours. 

The institute developed the aircraft for commercial missions that require sustained low-altitude coverage, such as inspecting infrastructure and surveying land. The maiden flight tested its controls, avionics, and energy storage system, as well as its stability and handling.

Light Cavalry measures 10.5 feet long and has a 26-foot wingspan. It has a takeoff weight of 99 pounds and a service ceiling of 23,000 feet. The aircraft can carry more than 11 pounds of equipment.

Its payload can be swapped to suit different assignments. The aircraft can carry electro-optical instruments for observation, communications equipment, or detection systems. That gives operators the option to use the same airframe for jobs ranging from land surveys to ecological monitoring.

The developer said all systems were functioning normally after landing. The reported tests covered the aircraft’s behavior from takeoff through landing, with 30 hours specified as its maximum design endurance.

The drone uses a vehicle-mounted takeoff system and takes about 20 minutes to prepare on the ground. Launching without a fixed runway allows crews to work in places where airfields are scarce, including mountainous regions, remote coastlines and wilderness areas.

The developer sees potential uses in disaster assessment, water resource monitoring and surveys of coastlines and ports.

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